Fine Lock Shop – Smart Door Lock & Locksmithing

Tag: door lock

  • Why Your Key Snap?

    Why Your Key Snap?

    No matter what quality your key is, even the best and thickest silver-nickel alloy, it will still snap if the below situation occurs.

    1. Lock not smooth/ stuck/ grinding/ badly installed. Usually sign is like the left photo, key twisted.

    • This might happens if the lock is of bad quality, some really cheap locks usually made in China. Or,
    • Badly installed locks, causes the bolt/ latch can’t really fit perfectly into the strike hole. So when lock or unlock, the bolt is actually grinding the strike. Or,
    • Still badly installed locks, the external and internal is not in the same horizontal or vertical line. The lock will not works smoothly and you need more force to turn the key

    2. The user used unnecessary excessive force on the key. The sign for this is bent key, not twisted.

    • Sometimes user use the key to pull the door while the key is inside the lock. The key becomes like a pull handle. 
    • If your door do not have a pull handle, install one. Must not use the key to substitute the pull handle

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com

    • Bettee Lock for Aluminium Sliding Door

      Bettee Lock for Aluminium Sliding Door

      This lock is getting more and more trendy among aluminium sliding, usually for bigger house. It is stronger and seems more durable than common aluminium lock with square casing. 

      But in the end still depends on workmanship. If alignment and positioning is not right, even the best lock fails.

      Can consider this type of lock for your sliding door (if not yet fabricated)

      Advise from Locksmith,
      The Fine Lock Shop Team

    • Royal President Guardian Digital Lock

      Brand: Royal President Guardian

      Functions: 

      1. RF Cards x 30pcs
      2. Passcode x 4 sets

      Origin: South Korea

      Comments: Royal President specialises in electronic locks.  Very reliable brand.

      Extra Service (has to do them Free of Charge): 

      1. Reposition Barrel Bolt.
      2. Door Closer Adjust.
    • Great Alternative To Sliding Door Lock

      Great Alternative To Sliding Door Lock

      Usually a sliding door, be it wooden or aluminium (steel sliding is rare), will need 4 items to work:

      1. A hook lock mortise
      2. A Key Cylinder
      3. An escutcheon (or common people call, key cylinder cover)
      4. A door pull

      But there are some other alternatives like the above photo. The all-in-one sliding hook lockset. 

      There are many China brand, they break easily. 

      But there are also good one, although not easy to find. Still using Zinc Alloy material, but is thick and heavy, and good mortise mechanism.

      If you have budget, however, should just stick with the 4-piece hook lock. Priced higher, but so long lasting and so reliable. Stronger, piece of mind, and made of stainless steel material.

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • What makes a good padlock?

      What makes a good padlock?

      I come across this catalogue from a fellow locksmith in KL. I have got my hand on many St Guchi product and am not impressed. 

      But this is a Molybdenum padlock…

      Molybdenum is usually a premium padlock and among the best material for shackle. I ll try on a St Guchi Molybdenum padlock soon, but for now lets talk on some padlock’s shackle knowledge. Because everybody love padlock, except me (maybe)

      1. No. 1 most common material for padlock is Fake Hardened Steel. It can be cut, can be saw and it will rust. If you buy 10 different padlock from a hardware store, you will get around 8pcs that are fake hardened steel. 
      2. Secondly is Real Hardened Steel. Can be cut, but cannot be saw. It will rust, but depends on the quality of the chrome coating. How can we know it is a real hardened steel, you ask? Get a hack saw and try saw the shackle. If you manage to saw it, it is fake. But if can’t, it is real. At Fine Lock Shop, we try saw every single padlock that we sell. I will share some photos of our experiments next time.
      3. Stainless steel. The best for outdoor. It just won’t rust. But, it can be saw. Stainless steel is known for long lasting and highly rust resist, unfortunately it is not a really hard steel. Not as hard as real hardened steel. So there are pros and cons here.
      4. Boron and Molybdenum. This 2 are commonly used only at the expansive padlock. Might reach up to RM 500 per padlock if it comes with security key. You can’t saw it, can’t cut it. And all come with layers and layers of coating, makes it really hard to rust. So theoretically, boron and molyb will rust, but they are protected by the coating. Just early this year I have seen some Abloy-330 and 341 boron padlocks right here in Kuching Tabuan Jaya, put at outdoor to rain and sun for around 20years, still work smoothly and only some small dots of rust to the shackle. Very good padlocks.

      So now you know the shackle and its material. Next time you can choose a padlock according to your needs. 

      Another important aspect is the internal material and the key cylinder. No matter how good the shackle is, if the key cylinder is really cheap, the padlock can be compromised in seconds and it defeats the purpose of the padlock. I ll let you know how to choose a good key cylinder in the future.

      With Sincere.
      Francis, Just A Humble Locksmith.
      www.finelockshop.com

    • What type of Door Handle will Break Apart?

      What type of Door Handle will Break Apart?

      We have seen Zinc Diecast as the most oftenly break. Followed by Zinc Alloy.
      The above photo is a Zinc Diecast. It is installed at a Metal Door. Aged at 4 years.

      We changed to a fully stainless steel handle for him. Definitely won’t break.

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Self Destruct by Customer (But still can’t enter)

      Self Destruct by Customer (But still can’t enter)

      A destroying attempt by our customer in Stapok. He said he tried the whole morning.

      But end up still need to call us to unlock. And need to buy new lockset to replace. And the need to pass the new key to all family member.

      If he call us in the first place, we ll unlock it in maximum 15 minutes. No need whole morning, no need change lock, no need to pass new key to family member.

      But is not his fault. Everyone has his right to choose. 

      1. Whether you want to call for professional, hassle free and save time, or
      2. Whether you want to save the professional fee, but spend some extra time and effort and maybe little bit of trouble.

      We respect their choice. We have some really poor client usually from some kampung, can’t afford our fee, but they are quite handyman, can even build a whole house themselves. We understand their condition. Hence we teach them the proper lock to destroy.

      But if you wanna do it, make sure, double make sure you have some handy skill. This is not for some office professionals. 

      If not, you will be like our client above. Time, effort, money, all wasted. Plus some trouble.

      Advise from Locksmith,
      www.finelockshop.com/blog

    • Are they really made in Italy? Australia? You’re duped. They are made in China

      Are they really made in Italy? Australia? You’re duped. They are made in China

      It is a common marketing gimmick today. Just put a Western country name with the logo. You will think their product comes from there.

      Like the photo. “Auzzieslzzp.Australia”. Fact? Made in Malaysia. 

      Not so bad if made in Malaysia. But for locks, they will be from China. What actually are you buying? From Italy or China?

      We want the accurate knowledge to reach our reader, and not influenced by some marketing gimmick. Below are the list of some brand, and where majority product comes from.

      1. St Guchi Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      2. Genom Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      3. Milano Italy (Malaysia company. Made in China)
      4. Yale ( US company, but since past few years product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      5. Stanley (US company, but product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      6. Dorma (US company, but product sold in Msia are made in China to fight for cheapest price and product in project)
      7. Keyline German (Msia company. Made in China)
      8. GT Benz German (Msia company, Made in China)
      9. (We will update this list from time to time)

      How to detect it is a marketing gimmick, not genuine origin? Very simple. Fake origin don’t write “Made in Italy”. They just said “Italy”

      Only GENUINE product write Made in Italy.

      For quality product, make sure they are written “Made in Italy/ Swiss/ Japan/ Korea/ Spain”. If not written then probably it means made in China


      Advise from Locksmith
      www.finelockshop.com

    • Locks by Door Shop Salesman- defeated in 15 seconds

      Locks by Door Shop Salesman- defeated in 15 seconds

      Changed locks for a owner in MJC. The house is basicly just waiting for any thief to target his house, and experienced thief will enter in 15 second, SILENTLY.

      We do not want to share here what trick they use, so that we will not unintentionally trained some new thief.

      Such key cylinder installation is dangerous and too easy for thief. If your house lock looks like this, find a locksmith immediately.

      And remember, for heart problem, find a heart specialist, not some general doctor. For lock problem, find a lock specialist, not a door specialist.

      Advise from locksmith.
      www.finelockshop.com/about

    • What material makes a lousy lock?

      What material makes a lousy lock?

      This door lock is broken. Succumbed to repeated pulling. But by right, door lock should be able to withstand vigorous pull and push and even twist.

      Why this door lock failed?

      The failure is caused by its material. It is made of Zinc Diecast. Which is a bad choice for door lock. Zinc is a not-so-strong material. Die casted (and mixed with some other cheaper material) makes it even weaker. Just take any Zinc Diecast. Bend it, and bend it back to original (just once), it will break. 
      What is the minimum material you should go for a lock? Zinc Alloy. Not really strong, but so much better than diecasted. But remember, it is a minimum. Go for a better one if you can afford. Not to show off, not to luxury, but for your family’s safety, and for saving yourself some trouble.

      Advise from Locksmith, not Salesman.

      www.finelockshop.com